I Am Strong
by floatsodelicately
Summary: Ron leaves his home, his family and his fiancé, what will happen when he comes back 10 years later? What could have changed?
1. I Am Strong, I Am Not Weak

_I am not for sale, I am sold._

_I built this house, it took quite long,_

_Sticks and stones, I made it strong,_

_I locked it and gave you a key,_

_But you didn't come home to me._

_I Am Strong – Polly Scattergood_

* * *

Ron arrived at the Burrow and looked up at the precariously towering house from across the garden from the apparition point outside the gate. He could see the orchard that they used for Quidditch practice through the trees and the path that led to the pond they all used to swim in during the summer months. He remembered all of those afternoons spent de-gnoming the lawn and the nights that he would sneak out to the shed after dark for a midnight fly on his broom.

The broom shed was different. Instead of the weathered old shed that he remembered, he saw a larger, oddly decorated shed in its place. It was painted with white, pink and blue stripes with multi-coloured handprints along the doorframe.

It had been 10 years since his last visit. If the _shed_ has changed this much, what about the_ people inside _that he was about to meet again?

He knew that he should never have left. It was a mistake. But he could make it up to them, _to her_, couldn't he?

He put his hand on the gate and then paused. _What was he thinking?!_ That 10 years would pass and she'd just be over it? Willing to move on, or hopefully try again? He was her friend, her _best_ friend, her _boy_friend, her _fiancé_...and he left her. _Oh, this was a bad idea, she'd never forgive him_. He was about to turn and leave when the front door opened. He saw the figure of Molly Weasley as she stood in the door and dropped her tea towel in astonishment, shock and apparently, anger.

"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY! YOU GET YOUR BACKSIDE IN THIS HOUSE RIGHT NOW!"

_Bugger._

He creaked open the gate and walked towards the house, not wanting to look directly at his mother. Eventually, he reached the door and, wringing his hands nervously, looked up at her.

"H-hi Mum."

She latched onto him, gripping him in a fierce hug. She pulled back after a minute or two, her eyes shining with tears as she looked at her youngest son.

"Don't ever do that again," she said as she pulled him close to her once more. "10 years," he heard her whisper gently in his ear.

"Right," she said, stepping back and ushering him in as she wiped her eyes, "I'm working on dinner, so get in the kitchen and I'll get you a snack while you explain yourself, you're all skin and bones..."

This was part of what had taken him so long to come back. The thought of having to explain himself to everyone made him cringe with worry and fear. How could he justify what he did? He had even had trouble accepting it himself once he had the dust had settled and he was thousands of miles away from anyone that knew his name. Well, _almost anyone_.

He followed behind his mother, looking around his family home and taking in the subtle changes. There were more photographs. He could see family dinners, birthday parties, the weddings he had missed. There were children; little girls and boys with Weasley-red hair filled the frames on the cluttered shelves and the walls just as he knew they would. His mother had been anxiously awaiting grandmother-hood since Bill had brought home his first girlfriend at the tender age of 15, needless to say, it was a tad premature, but her excitement had been clear for everyone to see. They reached the kitchen and he sat down at the table. It was bigger, and there were more chairs than he remembered. He saw the clock and smiled as two hands, his and his mothers, pointed towards home. _Home, he was finally home. _When he examined the clock from afar he could see that there were many new hands, but he was unable to make out the faces on them all.

He wondered what they knew. Hermione had never struck him as the type to viscously gossip about an old boyfriend like a spurned ex-lover. But then again, he had never seen her after her fiancé had left her with nothing but a note. He'd have trouble getting her to forgive her, but he was optimistic. _Sort of_. He had come back for _her_. She'd see that, right?

"Ronald?" his mother caught his attention, placing a dish holding a toasted teacake in front of him. He dug in gratefully, happy to once again eat his mum's homemade treats. Even simple things like this had been greatly missed in his time away.

"What do you know?" he started quietly.

"You left a note," she answered, her voice very clearly tight with anger. "Just a note. What were you thinking?! That poor girl! And nothing for the rest of us! How could-"

"Did you read it?" He asked as he swallowed thickly.

"No, I didn't. And I got the impression that I wouldn't like what I read if I had judging by the state you left Hermione in." She poured the tea in an effort to maintain her cool facade but the way that she almost_ threw_in the sugar lumps betrayed her true feelings about her son's actions.

"Well, see...I, erm...oh Merlin, this is hard!" He lowered his head into his hands. He looked up at Molly as she sat in the seat across from him, her face steely with her fury but he could see that she was still happy that he was there. "I was an idiot."

Molly scoffed and took a sip of her tea, "I could have told you that."

He blinked before continuing, "I was still hurting after the war and F-Fred passing, and I was getting more nervous about the wedding and then one thing led to another and then the only option I could see was to leave."

"What do you mean, one thing led to another?" she asked, her voice cold as she half glared at him, not wanting her suspicions to be confirmed.

"I left her for someone else," he answered and lowered his head in shame. "Hermione'll never take me back."

Molly loosened her grip on the teacup, accidentally allowing it to fall sideways on the saucer and the liquid pour out. She waved her wand to clear up the mess and got up from the table. Resting the tea towel over her shoulder, she moved silently over to the hob and took out some dishes to get ready for the evening meal. She didn't want to let Ron's sudden appearance interfere with her schedule. _What was she going to do with him tonight?_ With everyone going over for the party, there would be no hiding him! Unless he stayed here...not that she _wanted_to hide her son away, but his return might not create the cheerful atmosphere that one would want at a children's birthday party.

Ron watched as she moved around the kitchen quietly. "Mum? Erm, aren't you going to say anything? Please just shout at me or _something._"

Molly sighed as she waved her wand at the pans on the hob, moving the contents of the pans into the dishes that covered themselves for easy transport to take to the party. She turned to him and rested one hand on her hip while the other held a wooden spoon.

"Who was it?" She asked calmly.

Ron sputtered awkwardly before answering, "Lavender Brown."

Molly's mouth pinched as she closed her eyes for a second. _That girl_. Even in her admittedly maniacal quest to marry off her children and finally get the grandchildren she could shower with affection and spoil with all the things that parents ban but grandparents can sneak to children when their backs are turned, Molly had never wanted her son to be with _that simpering, irritating girl_. She was worse than her mother, that one. Ginny had once told her how Ron had gone out with her to make Hermione jealous, only to devastate the young girl, she had also heard from Harry how Lavender had treated Hermione throughout their years at Hogwarts, and then her _bone-headed son _went and left her for _that girl_?

Molly opened her eyes and suddenly threw the spoon at Ron, who acted quickly and dived out of his seat with a loud yelp, only for the spoon to hit the person who had just walked into the kitchen.

"Ouch. Mollywobbles? What are you-? Ron?!"

* * *

A.N. I know, another new story but this is a short one and I've almost finished it. Sorry to people who are following my other stories, I'm going to try and update them as soon as possible :)


	2. I Am Not In A Place

**_Last chapter:_**_ Molly opened her eyes and suddenly threw the spoon at Ron, who acted quickly and dived out of his seat with a yelp, only for the spoon to hit the person who had just walked into the kitchen. "Ouch. Mollywobbles? What are you-? Ron?!"_

* * *

"Ron? You're...you're here!"

Ron glanced over at his mother before looking up at his father who promptly pulled him into a hug.

"I-I thought we'd never see you again," he whispered happily in his ear, tears glistening in his eyes as he pulled away.

"I'm sorry dad. I really am. I'm here to make it up to everyone."

Arthur and Molly shared an uneasy look before he turned back to his son. "Everyone?"

Ron breathed a sigh and ran his hand agitatedly through his ginger locks. "If shell accept me. She was the best thing I ever had, and I mucked it up. Do you..."he started hesitantly, "Do you know if she's erm...seeing anyone?"

He saw his parents look at each other quickly and watched as his mother's look of unease faded into anger once more. "You think that you can come back after all these years and she'll just _take you back?!_ Arthur, pass me that spoon!"

Ron flinched away from the threat of the spoon. "No no, I'll make it up to her! I'll prove that I've changed, that I'm not the same git that left-"

_"With another woman!"_ Molly shrieked.

"Oh Ron, you didn't…?" Arthur winced as he looked at his son in shame.

"But I can-"

Arthur sighed heavily, "You're too late, son."

Ron started to flush as his fists clenched in anger. _How could she actually move on_?! "What?! How could she just-"

"With difficulty and time, Ronald," his mother interrupted icily. She shook her head and turned back to the oven and opened the door revealing a large cake. With a few waves of her wand, she cast a cooling charm and the cake began to decorate itself. Ron watched numbly as the icing created monkeys on the top of the cake. _How could she have moved on? How could he win her back?_

"Monkeys, Molly?" Arthur asked with a wry smile.

"As if little Monkey-Myra could have anything else," she answered amusedly, both of them quietly thinking about the new problem at hand. "What are we going to do?" she whispered to her husband.

"I don't know, we could bring him with us couldn't we?" Arthur proposed.

Molly's mouth twisted into a half frown, "It's a birthday party, I don't want there to be any arguments."

Arthur rubbed a hand down his face and looked back at his son who was still focused on the smiling monkey faces, "There are going to be arguments anyway, if we can get the kids squared away for a while and talk it all out…?"

"Honestly Arthur, do you really think that any of this will go smoothly? Especially if he wants her back."

"I'll admit, I don't know what he's thinking on that one."

Ron snapped out of his daze and peered up at his parents, "What's the cake for?"

Molly cleared her throat awkwardly and waved the cake into an open box ready to take to the party. "It's for Myra's birthday party, she's 6," she answered.

Ron perked up slightly. _Probably a niece_. He nodded to the photographs on the shelf beside him, "Which one is she?"

Arthur walked over to the shelf and picked up a frame with Bill and two young children; a blue-haired boy and a younger girl with a mane of red curls. He passed it to Ron with a smile, "That's her with Bill and Teddy."

"Wow," he said, then looked at Teddy, "He'll be eleven now, right?"

"Yep," Arthur smiled proudly, "Off to Hogwarts this September."

"Is he still living with Andromeda then?"

"No, he's not," Molly answered, his expression turning sombre, "Andy got a nasty case of spattergroit about two years or so after you…_left_, ended up in St Mungo's, died not long after."

"So who's Teddy living with? Bill?" his parents nodded. "And Myra is Bill's kid?"

"Ah," Arthur started uncomfortably, "Yes, she is." He took the photo from Ron and placed it back on the shelf with the others. "We'd best get going then…"

Molly moved around the room, arranging the dishes she had prepared so that they could be transported easily. Ron stood up, "Can I help with anything? I mean…I'd like to come and…see everyone again. If that's ok?" he asked hesitantly.

His mother stopped moving, "I can't see why that would be a problem. Arthur? Can _you_ see why that would be a problem?" she ended with gritted teeth and widened eyes, unseen by her son.

Arthur faltered for a moment before answering, "No. Not at the moment." Molly huffed and shoved a casserole dish into Ron's waiting hands. "Sorry," Arthur mouthed to her behind Ron's back as he moved to wait by the door to leave.

The three of them left the house a few minutes later and walked down the garden path to the apparition point past the wards. They were about to leave when Arthur took hold of Ron's arm, "Just…just please don't start anything."

Ron stared at his father in confusion, not knowing what to make of his words. He shook off his confusion as he felt the familiar hook of apparition and the trio arrived beside a large oak tree outside a cottage.

* * *

A.N. Thank you for such a good response! Thanks for reading! :)


	3. Where I Can Talk To You

**_Last chapter_**_: They were about to leave when Arthur took hold of Ron's arm, "Just…just please don't start anything." Ron stared at his father in confusion, not knowing what to make of his words. He shook off his confusion as he felt the familiar hook of apparition and the trio arrived beside a large oak tree outside a cottage._

* * *

Molly and Arthur made their way up the stone steps towards the old white cottage, with Ron trailing a few steps behind. He tripped on a stone that was uneven and muttered a swear word.

"You did a swear," came a soft but scolding voice from the tree branches above him. He peered up and saw a little girl, the one from a photo, Myra. "You have to put a sickle in the jar."

"What jar is that?" he asked, watching as she leapt down from the branch with an ease that indicated that tree-climbing was a routine thing for her. _The monkeys make sense now._

"The swear-jar, silly," Myra giggled. She shifted a book into one hand and reached out her free hand to take Ron's. He had been forgotten by his parents as they had rushed inside, unknowingly leaving him with Myra. She began leading him to the house, "Daddy had to put one in yesterday because he said a bad word to Uncle George. Well…he didn't really. But he told him to '_Shut the fudge up with the ear jokes, for fudge's sake_', but I knew that he meant a bad word because 'fudge' doesn't make sense in that sentence, and why would you do anything for the sake of _fudge_? It's not even nice! It's too chewy."

Ron smiled at the talkative little girl, "So, you must be Myra, I'm-"

"I know who you are," she interrupted, "I've seen pictures of you, you're my Uncle Ron. Honestly, do you think I just go around talking to strangers?"

She led him through the open door to find his parents caught up in a very tense conversation with Bill. Ron smiled widely, happy to see his oldest brother after so long. He was baffled when his smile was not returned, actually receiving a glare in response as Bill walked towards him and picked up his daughter.

"Dad! This is Uncle Ron! You remember him? We've never met, but I like him…I think."

"That's great, sweetie," he said before murmuring to Ron, "You've got a lot of nerve." Myra didn't hear her father's low tone, in fact, she began babbling to her grandparents over his shoulder.

"You know Uncle Ron, don't you Grandma? Do you know how he feels about puppets?"

"I'm afraid I don't, dearie. Why don't you come with me and we'll go find your Auntie Ginny, she can help me set all this food out; your cousins will be here soon."

"Yay!" she nudged Bill to let her down and she slid out of his arms, "Teddy made me some puppets for my birthday, do you think…" her voice trailed away as Molly led her through the house to the back garden.

"What are you doing here?" Bill asked sharply.

"Bill, what's going on? Why are you so mad-"

"Do you have any idea what you did when you left?" he interrupted. "Mum, Dad, _George_ – you left George with the shop! You _knew _how hard he was working just to keep up, even with all of your help!"

Ron puffed up his chest indignantly, "It's just a sho-"

"It is not 'just a shop'" Bill barked out, "It is his life, it is Fred. The most important thing he had and you left him to struggle _even more_! That's not even mentioning 'Mione!"

"Wait, ''Mione'? You're calling her 'Mione? She hates that!"

"As if you'd know what she hates!" Bill scoffed. "Actually, you could probably guess one thing that she hates…she has a real problem with people leaving her _notes_," he said pointedly, "Any ideas why, Ronald?"

"Why do you care so much? Eh? What does my relationship with Hermione have anything to do with you?!"

Arthur tried to get in between them but the brothers had moved too close in their confrontation and were ignoring his attempts to wedge them apart. "Now, boys, maybe we should join the others-"

"_I_ care, Ronald," Bill started with a snarl, "because she's _my wife_."


	4. I Am Not Hot, I Am Not Cold

**_A.N. – _**Somebody asked about Fleur, let's just say that in this fic, Bill and Fleur were never together, it makes it easier. Thank you to people who liked Myra : ) and I'm back at uni now so it might be a while before chapter 5 is ready : )

**_Last chapter:_**_ "She has a real problem with people leaving her notes," he said pointedly, "Any ideas why, Ronald?" "Why do you care so much? Eh? What does my relationship with Hermione have anything to do with you?!" "I care, Ronald," Bill started with a snarl, "because she is my wife."_

* * *

Ron stared blankly at his brother who then turned to leave and slapped his father's shoulder, "Let's go join the party then!"

The two men left and Ron glared at the place where Bill had been stood, unable to process what he had been told. That couldn't be true, _could it_? Why would he…? It didn't make sense. But why would he lie? Just to make him feel bad?

No, he wouldn't believe it. The twins always used to rope Bill and Charlie in to make their pranks more believable. Like that time that they all told him that every year the professors at Hogwarts sacrificed a student to the herd of Flibbernotton in the Forbidden Forest. It wasn't until he started at Hogwarts that he found out that there was _no such thing_ as a Flibbernotton.

Yes, it was just a joke. Just to make sure that he was sorry for what he did. He would make it up to them, to_ all_ of them.

A weird joke though.

He walked through the house and reached the garden where he saw his father, Bill and Harry talking by the picnic benches while his mother and Ginny were setting the dishes on the tables. He noted the way that Harry kept glancing at Ginny and her rounded stomach, happy that his sister and his best friend had worked out. He had been the best man at their wedding; he remembered the happiness that radiated from the whole family. Hermione was the maid of honour, looking beautiful in the deep purple dress that she and Ginny had chosen on one of the _many_ wedding shopping days. He remembered eagerly awaiting his own wedding, the idea of waiting for Hermione to walk down the aisle to him was so exciting for him. So what happened?

Two young girls ran around him through the door and tackled Myra in a hug, turning around, he saw Percy pause in the opposite doorway for a second as he saw him. Not anticipating a warm response this time, Ron coughed slightly before walking towards him and extending his hand.

"Hi Percy."

"Hello Ronald," he glanced past him into the garden, "Have you seen everyone yet?"

"Not yet, no," Ron answered, rubbing his neck nervously, "I'm not looking forward to that bit to be honest."

"No," Percy started, his mouth turned down in disapproval. "I have an idea of how you feel-"

"I guess _you_ would," Ron interrupted.

"They didn't need me like they needed you though, did they?" he responded coldly. "It is not the same." Percy pushed past him into the garden.

_Maybe this whole thing was a mistake…_He decided to follow them into the garden and get some of the meetings out of the way. Surely Harry would understand? He's always been under pressure. _But he didn't run away, did he? _

He walked out and met Harry's eyes, those emerald green eyes that expressed everything, right now they were expressing a whole lot of hostility_. Dear Merlin, this was a bad idea! _He'd have to get Harry to forgive him, and then with Harry on side, it'd be so much easier to win the others over.

Harry moved quickly towards him, grabbing his elbow and jerking him aside away from Ginny who had also started to march up to him with an angry look on her face. Ron was grateful that he wouldn't be on the receiving end of her hormones and was about to thank Harry when he heard a loud voice coming from inside the house. _Her voice._

"Teddy! James! People are starting to arrive, come down to the garden!"

He looked over to the doorway, and breathed deeply as he saw her. _How could he have been so stupid?! _What possessed him to leave her? _Her! _With her long flowing locks and her deep chocolate brown eyes, she was a knockout. He remembered how her hair felt in his hands when he kissed her, how her eyes twinkled Dumbledore-style when she was excited about something. She moved to the benches and he gasped.

She had moved on.

If that wasn't confirmed by the wedding band on her finger, or the kiss that she pressed to Bill's lips, or the way that Myra latched onto her and pulled her towards the monkey-covered cake…it was certainly confirmed by the gentle and loving way that she caressed the bump that swelled from her stomach.

She _had_ moved on.

She _was_ Bill's wife. She was Myra's _mum_. So she was _Teddy's mum too_. And they were having _another_.

She had _moved_ _on_.

_How could she do this to him?!_


	5. I Am Not For Sale, I Am Sold

**_Last chapter_**_: She was Bill's wife. She was Myra's mum. She was Teddy's mum too. They were having another. She had moved on. How could she do this to him?!_

* * *

Harry noticed the angry flush of Ron's cheeks and held him back from rushing to the small crowd. Hermione hadn't seen him yet, and he wanted to keep it that way until Ron had calmed down.

"Why are you mad?! Did you expect her to wait for you forever?" Ron faltered at his old friend's words. "_You_ were the one who wanted to get married right away. She wanted to wait until things had settled down, when she was finished with Healer training, but you pushed her. And _then _what?"

Ron had the decency to look ashamed, "I know that what I did was bad, it was wrong for me to do that to her. But I was nervous about with the wedding coming up-"

"The wedding that _you_ pushed her into," Harry interrupted. "So you left her? With nothing but a _note_? Do you have any idea what that did to her? What did it even say?"

"Y-you don't know? She didn't tell you?" he asked, genuinely confused that Harry didn't know what he had done.

Harry sighed and glanced over his shoulder to make sure that Hermione wasn't watching them, noting quickly that Bill was, "No, she wouldn't say anything about it. I'm sure that Bill knows though."

Ron looked disgusted, "How did that happen? I mean, he's my brother and she's my-"

"She is nothing to you," Harry said angrily, "You lost _any_ claim to her when you walked away from her, from all of us. What did the note say?"

To red-headed man fidgeted with his hands uncomfortably, "There…there was somebody else."

After a few moments of silence, he lifted his head to see that Harry was breathing deeply with his eyes closed, much like he had seen his mother do earlier, maybe they had been on some kind of anger management cou-

Harry swiftly aimed a punch at Ron that threw him to the ground clutching his nose. At least the spoon hadn't hit him earlier.

The movement was enough to attract the attention of the group as James yelped at his father's sudden display of violence, Harry _never _hit _anyone_. They quickly swarmed towards the two men who were glaring furiously at one another.

"Why did you hit Uncle Ron?" Myra's voice came from the front of the crowd. The adults all turned awkwardly to the child who was glowering at them with her hands on her hips, looking very much like the miniature Hermione that she was.

"Well…erm…" Harry tried to start.

"_'Well…erm..'_" the young girl mimicked crossly, "You shouldn't hit people! Do we need to get a hitting-people-jar now? Eep!" she cut off with a squeak as Bill picked her up and slung her over his shoulder.

With the commotion that Myra had caused, very few had noticed Hermione move towards the two men. The loud sound of a slap caught their attention. The sight of a very angry Hermione made some of them step back.

"Jar!"

"Told you her hair crackles," Teddy murmured to James from the side of his mouth.

"Your mum's way cool!"

"Try believing that when she makes you tidy your room," he grumbled with a slight smirk.

"Enough," Hermione barked, "Could all of you please go inside?" she asked without turning away from Ron as he nursed his battered face in his hands.

The crowd dispersed leaving Ron, Harry, Hermione and Bill standing in the garden.

* * *

A.N. Now I have nothing so it'll be a few days until the next update :S and I'm sorry if the cliffhangers are getting annoying but they break it up into nice small chapters.


	6. Interlude - The Kids

**_Last chapter:_**_ "Enough," Hermione barked, "Could all of you please go inside?" she asked without turning away from Ron as he nursed his battered face in his hands. The crowd dispersed leaving Ron, Harry, Hermione and Bill standing in the garden._

* * *

The large family was gathered in the kitchen table and spilled out into the lounge, the kids playing together on the carpet. Teddy soon noticed that the birthday girl was nowhere to be seen and decided to go looking for her. He slipped away quietly and searched the various rooms of the house for his little sister. He made his way upstairs and finally reached the last door, which he opened.

Inside he found Myra, clutching her favourite stuffed monkey as she watched her little brother as he slept. The blue-haired boy walked over to the young girl and pulled her into a hug, "What's wrong?" he asked.

Myra sniffled and pulled the monkey's paw over her face to wipe her eyes. "Uncle Ron's here to take Mummy away," she whimpered.

"What? What makes you think that?"

She turned and looked up at him, "I heard Auntie Angie say that Mummy and Uncle Ron were supposed to get married but he went away, what if he came back for her so that now they can get married?"

"Mum would never do that, she loves Dad. Even if she and Uncle Ron _were_ supposed to get married, they didn't, and she married Dad. You can't just unmarry someone-"

"Yes you can, Scor's mum and dad did," she interrupted.

Teddy rolled his eyes in response, "Yes, but Scor's mum and dad didn't get married by choice. Ours did, because they love each other."

"But what if they don't love each other enough? What if-"

"My," he interrupted, "you know how much they love each other. It's gross. They're _always _kissing. Like, all the time. And we're a family. Mum, Dad, me, you and Lucas-"

"Barely, Lucas is so boring. He just cries or naps all the time," Myra huffed and peered down at her little brother in his bed.

"Well it's hard being three, you've got…I don't know, words to learn, places to waddle," he shrugged and pulled her close again. "And in a few months we'll have another little brother or sister who naps and cries all the time."

Myra grimaced slightly, "I hope it's a girl, there are too many boys in this house, you mess it up with all of your boy germs."

Teddy chuckled slightly before looking seriously at his sister, "You know that we _are_ a family. No one can come in and break us up. Mum loves Dad, and judging by the sounds outside, she seems _pretty angry_ with Uncle Ron…"

* * *

A.N. Why not throw the Malfoy's in, and a new kid? Sorry for the gap between updates, thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favouriting and following, thank you, thank you :)


	7. I Built This House

_**Last chapter:**_ _Teddy chuckled slightly before looking seriously at his sister, "You know that we are a family. No one can come in and break us up. Mum loves Dad, and judging by the sounds outside, she seems pretty angry with Uncle Ron…"_

* * *

Hermione stared at the man that she once loved, not knowing what to say to him exactly. Once upon a time, she had been in love with him, sure that they would get married and finally live a normal and happy life. But then he left. He left a month before their wedding, a wedding that he had wanted and pushed for so soon after the war. He left their home, a little flat near Hogsmeade, leaving nothing but a note behind.

"What are you doing here?" she asked with a level voice.

"'Mione," he faltered at her cold expression, "I came back. I never should have left-" he paused at her loud scoff. "I know that now, but it's not too late, we can-"

"We can _what_? What do you expect from me? Do you expect me to leave my husband? Our children? Our home?" she shrieked. "Are you honestly that stupid, Ronald?! And don't call me 'Mione."

"Hey!" he shouted, "I'm not stupid! I just-"

"Just expected me to do what you asked? Like I always did? Like I did your homework for you in Hogwarts? Like I agreed to marry you all those years ago? Like I agreed to get married when you wanted, before I had even been to find my parents? Really Ronald, that's too stupid to even be considered stupid, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."

Bill and Harry watched silently, both of them itching to hit Ron once more, Harry for betraying his friend and family, Bill for trying to break up his.

"I didn't know what I was giving up!" Ron yelled.

"Yes you did," Bill interrupted. "You were going to marry Hermione and you gave her up for some tart! What happened to her?"

Ron stepped back, blushing slightly.

Bill continued with a smirk, "Oh, so that's it. She left you, I'm guessing. And you thought that Hermione would be here just waiting to take you back? That's ridiculous, have you ever met Hermione? Believe me, you were never her best option-"

Ron flushed angrily now, "Oh really? And you were?"

"That's not what I meant," Bill sneered at his brother. "It may have escaped your idiotic notice, but our 'Mione's a catch," he winked over at his wife who's glare faltered as she gave him a small smile. "Half the wizards in Britain were trying to take your place when you ran off with that slag, Lavender."

Harry cut in in his shock, "Lavender Brown? Seriously Ron?! Why her?!"

"Well I wouldn't have had to go with her if this one wasn't so frigid-" his words were cut off with Hermione's slap once again, followed by a blow to his stomach from Bill.

"This one," Hermione growled, "is called Hermione. And not screwing someone who constantly tries to push and pressure you isn't being frigid, it's being sensible. It worked out quite well too. You kept pushing the wedding on me and it became obvious that you were just trying to get into my knickers since I wanted to wait until I was married. I'm rather glad that you left, if you hadn't, I wouldn't have Bill."

"So I left and you jumped on my brother? That really says something about what kind of woman you are," Ron snarled.

"It says that she's a smart woman who picked the right Weasley," Bill said as he wrapped an arm around his wife's waist, "Now if you don't mind, leave now before you say anything else, it's Myra's birthday and I'm sure that she'd be traumatised if Uncle Ron got himself killed at her birthday party."

* * *

A reviewer asked for a timeline of ages and stuff so…

1998 – Teddy was born, the Battle of Hogwarts took place. Harry and Ginny got together, as did Ron and Hermione. _Everyone_ gets engaged. George and Angelina get married.

1999 – Ron leaves with Lavender. Percy and Audrey get married. Fred Weasley is born (George and Angelina).

2001 – Andromeda dies, leaving Bill with custody of Teddy (he is with Hermione at this point but that'll be explained soon). Harry and Ginny get married. Molly Weasley is born (Percy and Audrey).

2002 – Bill and Hermione get married. James Sirius Potter is born (Harry and Ginny). Roxanne Weasley is born (George and Angelina).

2003 – Myra Weasley is born (Bill and Hermione).

2004 – Lucy Weasley is born (Percy and Audrey).

2006 – Albus Severus Potter is born (Harry and Ginny), Scorpius Malfoy is born (Draco and Astoria).

2007 - Lucas Weasley is born (Bill and Hermione).

2008 – Lily Luna Potter is born (Harry and Ginny).

2009 – Story takes place.


	8. It Took Quite Long

**_Last chapter:_**_ "You kept pushing the wedding on me and it became obvious that you were just trying to get into my knickers since I wanted to wait until I was married. I'm rather glad that you left, if you hadn't, I wouldn't have Bill." "So I left and you jumped on my brother? That really says something about what kind of woman you are," Ron snarled. "It says that she's a smart woman who picked the right Weasley," Bill said as he wrapped an arm around his wife's waist, "Now if you don't mind, leave now before you say anything else, it's Myra's birthday and I'm sure that she'd be traumatised if Uncle Ron got himself killed at her birthday party."_

* * *

They were silent for a few moments after Ron had stalked down the garden path to the front of the house to apparate back to the Burrow after their argument. Hermione stretching out her stinging hand while Bill smirked down at her, "Slap him too hard, did you?"

"Urgh, not hard enough. Honestly, what was he thinking?!"

Harry caught Molly peering through the kitchen curtain and nodded to her before turning back to the couple, "I don't think he put much thought into it if he thought that you'd take him back after 10 years, especially after how he left."

The group from the house flooded back into the garden, Ginny immediately grabbed Harry to get a quick run-down of the fight. Hermione looked around the garden and noticed that Teddy and Myra were missing, she looked to Bill who seemed to have noticed the same and with a nod, they set off into the house together.

They found the kids in Lucas' room, Teddy sitting in the rocking chair with Myra on his knee and her monkey, aptly named Monkey, on her lap. Hermione knocked lightly on the doorframe.

"Are you guys ok in here?"

Myra burrowed into Teddy a bit more as she looked at her parents hesitantly. "Is Uncle Ron gone?" she asked quietly.

The two adults shared a sad look and moved over to the children. Bill picked Lucas up from his bed and set him on his hip before answering Myra, "Yeah, your Uncle Ron went home."

"And Mummy's staying here?" their little girl asked.

"Of course I am, sweetie! What would make you think I would ever leave?!" Hermione cried as she knelt down beside the rocking chair. Myra leaned towards her mother and hugged her close, sobbing as she did.

Lucas blinked sleepily at the scene and nestled into his father's neck. Bill and Hermione looked to Teddy.

"She heard people talking about how Mum was supposed to marry Uncle Ron and got worried that you might leave us now that he's back," seeing Hermione's mouth open he hurried to continue. "I told her that was stupid, no one seemed very happy with Uncle Ron and you and Dad are in love and stuff," he ended uncomfortably, avoiding his adoptive parents' amused looks.

Hermione peered down at the crying birthday girl, "Now stop this crying, your dad and I aren't splitting up, I'm not going anywhere with your Uncle Ron. I _was_ going to marry him, but that was a long time ago. He left and I found your dad-"

"But I thought you'd known Dad for _forever_?"

Hermione chuckled and carried on, "I met your dad when I was fourteen, but I didn't think of him as 'potential daddy material' until years later," she said as they walked down the hallway.

Bill barked out a laugh and turned to her, "What? 'Potential daddy material'? And here I thought you seduced me for my good looks and charm!" he gasped in mock offence.

"They might have had something to do with it," she winked.

"So you admit it, _you_ seduced _me_," he smirked, leaning down to kiss her swiftly.

Teddy rolled his eyes and looked at Myra, "See what I mean? They're gross."

Myra giggled into her hand, tears dried and forgotten as she glanced around at her family. Hermione took her hand again, "Are we ready to go downstairs to the party now?"

Myra nodded and hopped down from Teddy's lap, still holding her mother's hand, she led the group towards the garden. "Mummy?"

"Yes dear?"

"How did you seduce Daddy?"

Hermione rolled her eyes at Bill's loud guffaw as he heard Myra's question, "I didn't _seduce_ your father-"

"But he said-"

Hermione cut her off, "After the party, I'll tell you all about me and your dad, but right now, it looks like someone needs to blow out their candles." She pointed towards the table where Molly was stood lighting the candles on the cake and Myra ran over, Teddy following behind.

Ginny walked over with Albus, "Everything ok?"

They both nodded, "Myra was just a bit upset about…you know…"

Ginny winced, "Yeah, it must be confusing hearing that your mum was going to marry someone else. James found out that I had boyfriends before I married Harry and he was so shocked! What? Are we supposed to be nuns until we have kids?" she laughed.

Bill put Lucas down, now that he was wide awake after his nap and the little boy immediately grabbed Albus' hand and without a word, they set off towards Scorpius, who had just arrived with his father.

"I swear," Bill said, shaking his head, "those two are like another little Fred and George."

"I know," Ginny agreed. "Soon they'll be calling each other Alcus and Lubus. Did Harry tell you they turned his robes pink? _All of them_."

* * *

A.N. Sorry about the long long _long_ wait, but this chat with the kids was a bit difficult and now that I've broken up from uni I should have more free time to write : ) This story passed 100 reviews last chapter!

To _Miette in the Rain_ – Thank you for your review and to answer your questions -1) The next chapters will look back at Hermione and Bill's relationship, which will include the reason why Bill got custody of Teddy rather than Harry, and 2) I'm putting Scorpius, Albus and Lucas in the same year at Hogwarts so they would be friends with the Malfoy's (they'll be the new Fred, George and Lee :) )


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